O'Brien, Sarafa Continue Friendly Battle for Setter Position
The Kentucky volleyball team has had no questions at the setter position for the past eight seasons. All-American and national player of the year Madison Lilley was a four-year starter for the Cats from 2017-20, leading UK to a national championship along the way. Lilley was followed by Emma Grome, who also started for four years and was named SEC Player of the Year in 2022.
Grome exhausted her eligibility after last season, leaving the setter position open for the 2025 season. UK has two good options to fill that role this season.
Redshirt sophomore Ava Sarafa is in her third season with the program, while true freshman Kassie O’Brien joins the Cats after a stellar high school/club career in Katy, Texas.
Sarafa has been able to learn from Grome, and from Lilley, who was on the UK staff the past two seasons. She has taken a lot from both of those outstanding setters.
“Learning from Emma the past couple of years, I have been very grateful for that. Learning from an All-American setter, what more could you ask for. I looked up to Madison. I mean, she won every single award in the book. Learning from her was a great experience.”
O’Brien, who arrived on campus for the spring semester, also got to spend some time with the last two UK setters.
“I talked with Emma. We did some setter reps over the summer,” O’Brien said. “And when I was being recruited, Madison was also here so I was able to talk to her and connect with her. It was just super cool to be in their presence and be able to learn from them.”
O’Brien has an opportunity to do what both Lilley and Grome did – start at setter for four years. She welcomes the pressure that would come with that decision.
“It feels good. Obviously, there comes pressure but we always say pressure is a privilege,” she said. “Stepping into that role, just really wanting to bring whatever I can to the team and really help lead this team to success. Both (Grome and Lilley) have been great in the past but I really want to make a difference here as well.”
Sarafa believes that the competition is good for both players.
“Kassie graduated early and it’s been really awesome to have her around and work with her,” Sarafa said. “Even with the competition, it’s a healthy competition. We get along great and we’re happy for each other when we accomplish something good.”
Whoever earns the starting setter job will have plenty of weapons to set. UK has All-Americans Brooklyn Deleye and Eva Hudson, preseason All-SEC middle blocker Brooke Bultema and many other outstanding options. Both O’Brien and Sarafa realize who they will be setting.
“We have some talented outsides, talented middles, talented right sides,” Sarafa said. “I’m very excited to set them.”
O’Brien agrees with her teammate.
“I think it brings a lot of excitement knowing that anywhere I go, I have such dependable hitters I can depend on in those moments,” she said. “All the hitters, they are just amazing. It’s super cool knowing that anywhere I could place the ball, I know we could get a kill out of it.”
The setter position has been held by just two Kentucky players over the last eight seasons. A new face will take over that role in 2025, and either O’Brien or Sarafa will get their chance.
